Diptera.info

Posted by Christine Devillers on 08-12-2007 13:16

This one was flying close (15 cm) behind an Ancistrocerus.
While the wasp was taking clay from a cob wall, the fly was staying about 10 cm behind. When the wasp flew away the Sarcophagidae followed it very quickly.
It was amazing to see those 2 insects flying as if they were connected by a string, same changes of direction and always the same distance (15cm) between them.
What is it?

Edited by Christine Devillers on 05-04-2008 20:23

Posted by Christine Devillers on 08-12-2007 13:22

This (bad) photo just to show the Ancistrocerus followed by this Sarcophagidae.

Posted by Zeegers on 09-12-2007 09:14

The fly looks like Amobia, three very similar species.

Theo

Posted by Christine Devillers on 09-12-2007 22:05

I saw this Amobia in my garden (Spa, Belgium).
On Fauna Europaea, only Amobia signata in Belgium. Is it wrong?

Posted by Zeegers on 10-12-2007 07:29

Ah, it is from Belgium.
Well, I don't know if the Belgium specimens have been properly identified. A. signata is surely a Belgium species, the others I don't know.

Theo

Posted by Susan R Walter on 10-12-2007 14:51

Christine

The UK only has A signata too, and here is a link to my thread http://www.dipter...ad_id=5090. I don't know if the shape of the irregular dorsolateral stripe is important for the ID to species level. Yours seems to be slightly different to mine. I could be wrong though.

Edited by Susan R Walter on 10-12-2007 14:52

Posted by Zeegers on 10-12-2007 19:17

Well, we really would need to study the male genitalia to say more.

Theo

Posted by Liekele Sijstermans on 12-12-2007 12:38

#10

I agree with Theo.

List of Belgium is not complete regarding Sarcophagidae.
Three species of Amobia are reported of Germany.
So we might in Netherlands and Belgium expect some other species as A. signata only.

Draber Monko 1966 gives key to females. According to this key this is Amobia signata.

But Verves, 1990 gives key mainly based on genitalia of female.

Several species of Amobia are reported as cleptoparasite of Ancistrocerus.

Liekele

Posted by conopid on 12-12-2007 17:44

#11

I too have seen this fly following Ancistrocerus around as if they were attached by string. Amazing to watch and puts human reaction times into perspective!

Posted by Christine Devillers on 05-01-2021 21:05

#12

Sorry for the misidentification of the wasp followed by the Amobia. It was a female of Symmorphus not of Ancistrocerus.
Christine

Posted by Zeegers on 06-01-2021 08:50

#13

Whoah ! After 14 years correcting an mistake, talking about scientific ethics

!

Theo